Published
By Analou De Vera
The Manila city
government will distribute 80 electric tricycles (E-Trike) to the second batch
of beneficiaries in Malate district.
Manila Mayor Joseph
Estrada said that the distribution of the environment-friendly E-trikes will
provide the city’s poorest of the poor a steady source of livelihood in an
environment–friendly manner.
“As I have promised
before, more indigent Manileños, particularly those poor tricycle and ‘kuliglig’
drivers, will benefit from this e-trike program,” said Estrada.
“They cannot
just be drivers forever, now have their own new tricycles. With no daily
boundary to pay to the operator, they’ll earn more for their families,” he
added.
The distribution of
E-trikes to the second batch of beneficiaries in Malate will be held next week,
according to 4th District Councilor Eduardo Quintos XVI.
All the beneficiaries
are indigents, or those who earn less than R12,000 a month with three or more
dependents, and are legitimate residents of Manila, said Quintos.
‘Boundary – hulog’
The E-trikes will be
financed through “boundary-hulog” system, wherein the driver-owners will only
pay the city government R150 to R250 a day for four years at zero interest.
By paying as low
as R150 a day, Quintos said the beneficiary will get to take home R1,200 to
R1,500 income a day.
“Imagine owning your
own E-trike by just paying at least R150 day, no down payment. And the vehicle
is virtually maintenance-free, and with absolutely no carbon emission,” said
Quintos.
Last April, the
city government turned over 50 E-trikes to the first batch of beneficiaries in
Binondo.
A total of 280 E-trike
units were purchased by the city government, at R400, 000 each. The units are
set to be distributed within this year.
Power up
The Manila Electric Co.
(Meralco), meanwhile, has constructed charging stations for the E-trikes.
The first station was put up in Binondo.
The
Japanese-manufactured E-trikes run on gel-type batteries that can be fully charged
in 4 to 5 hours.
It can carry up to six
passengers and has a maximum speed of 40-45 kilometer per hour.
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